Separable fastener



June 1953 A. G. WITTSTOCK SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed Oct. 24, 1951 IN VENTOR, Ji'lfred G. yl fl'lsi'oclt.

HTTORNEYS.

Patented June 3Q, 1953 UNITED STATES TEN FFEQE SEPARABLE FASTENER Alfred Gustave Wittstock, Irvington, N. 'J., as-

signor of fifteen per cent to Ruth Burdick,

lrvington, and twenty-five This invention is a clutch fastenerdevice to be used in connection with military insignias, jewelry, and in the dress and garment trades, or where it is called or termed a button back, and in other industries as well, where a pin or stud may be held in a fixed position with a fastening device of the present description.

An object of the invention is the production of a clutch fastener device which will be fixed tight when in use to the shank or pin of the insignia, jewelry, etc.

Another object of this invention is the production of a clutch fastener device that is comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, 'efiicient in operation, durable in construction, and which will have a long life when in use.

Another object of this invention is to reduce the number of parts and operations in devices of this nature, which have been found to be very expensive, and to greatly simplify production methods in manufacturing.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, this invention comprises certain novel constructions, combinations, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an enlarged View in side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical central sec tional view.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view, takenon line 3t, Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken on line :l i, Figure 2, and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the lever jaw.

Figure '7 is a top plan view of another embodi ment of the invention, while Figure 8 is an enlarged View of the device shown in Fig. '7 in side elevation.

Referring to the drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of this invention is illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, designates a casing which comprises a base section 2 and a cap section 3. These two sections are preferably secured together in any suitable manner, such as by stampmg.

Integral with the base section 2 is an upstanding solid stationary jaw 4. This stationary jaw 8 Claims. (Cl. 24-155) per cent to Harry l is provided on its inner side with a vertical V- shaped groove 5 which registers with a stud or pin-receiving opening 6, formed in the base section2.

The lever jaw I, Fig. 6, comprises a body 3 with an integral yoke 9. Extending from the yoke 9 is a grip it. A spring tongue M is integral with the body 8. In the spring tongue I l is a small V- shaped groove 82 which registers with the larger V-shaped groove 5. The V-shaped groove 12 registers with the opening 5, so that the pin or stud shown by dotted lines :3 can be easily positioned between the jaws when desired.

In Figures 7 and 8, the only difierence is in the shape or the cap section 3a. The cap section in this embodiment is semi-spherical.

The lever jaw is shown in the drawings as being in a closed or locking position. When it is to be placed in operation in connection with a pin or stud i3, the operator grasps the grip Iii, swinging outwardly or upwardly thereon, whereby the lever jaw takes the position shown by dotted line in Fig. 2. When the pin or stud it has been inserted (Fig. 2), then the operator moves the ever jaw to the position shown in full lines, whereupon the pin or stud I3 is gripped fixedly and secured in a tight position.

To lock the lever jaw in its closed position, locking studs it may be formed on the sides of the casing, whereby the yoke 9 of the lever jaw will ride over these studs Hi and have a slight portion engaging under the studs so that the lever jaw cannot accidentally move out of position. A slight upward or outward movement of the lever jaw, by the operator grasping grip 10, will cause the yoke 8 to ride over the studs [4 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that the cap section 3 is provided with the vertical slots it in its sides, through which portions (Fig. 4) of the yoke 9 extends. These slots I5 are sufliciently wide to permit the lever jaw to easily operate, either to a closed or locked position, or to a released position, as shown in Fig. 2 by the dotted lines.

From actual experience, it has been found that this device is easy to assemble, as well as easy and efficient in operation. Further, the simplicity of the parts causes comparatively little wear, thereby producing a device that has long life when in use.

While I have described the preferred embodiments of the invention and illustrated the same in the accompanying drawings, certain minor changes or alterations may appear to one skilled in the art to which this invention relates dur- 3 ing the extensive manufacture of the same, and I, therefore, reserve the right to make such changes or alterations as shall fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

The term pin and stud used in the foregoing specification is employed in a broad sense, meaning any such element that may be found on an insignia or piece of jewelry, or the like.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with vertical slots in its sides, a fixed jaw in said casing, a lever jaw in said casing, portions of said lever jaw extending through said vertical slots, said extending portions constituting a yoke partly around said casing, and said yoke provided with a grip.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing including a base section and a cap section, a solid stationary jaw integral with said base section and occupying substantially one-half of saidcap section, said stationary jaw provided on its inner face with a vertical substantially V-shape groove, said cap section provided with vertical slots registering with the inner face of said stationary jaw, a lever jaw partly in said casing, said lever jaw comprising a body provided with an integral yoke, said yoke extending through said vertical slots and partly aroundsaid casing, said yoke provided with a hand grip outside of said casing, said body of the lever jawbeing provided with a springy tongue, said tongue providedwith a V-shape groove of less size than the groove in said stationary jaw, said grooves opposed, and said base section provided with an opening alined with said grooves and an arcuate flange extending upward from the bottom of the casing concentric to said opening and limiting movement of the movable jaw.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination of a casing provided with a stationary jaw, a movable jaw partly in said casing and partly outside of said casing, and said casing proyidedwith lockingmeans being adapted to cooperate with said movable jaw for holding said jaw in a set locked position and an arcuate flange extending upward from the bottom of the casing concentric to ,said opening and limiting movement of the movable jaw. I p 7 4. In a device of the class described, the combination of acasing provided with a' stationary jaw, a, movable jaw partly in said casing, said movable jaw provided with a yoke outside of said casing, said casing provided on its sides with locking studs, and said yoke being adapted to ride over said studs when the movable jaw is moved to a set position for locking said movable jaw against accidental displacement and an arcuate flange extending upward from the bottom of the casing concentric to said opening and limiting movement of the movable jaw.

5. In a device of the class described, a circular base having a centrally disposed pin receiving opening, a dome shaped top fixed on and rising from said base, said top having a pair of diametrically disposed slots extending upwardly from said base, a latching member forming a movable jaw and including a straight portion extending at its ends through said slots and including an arcuate portion having its ends integralwith the ends of the straight portion, said straight portion having a tongue extending from its center toward the center of the arcuate portion and provided with a notch at its free extrernity, and a jaw fixed on said base and provided with a notch complementary to the notch in the tongue, said notches gripping on a pin extending through said opening upon closure of the jaws, and an arcuate flange extending integrally from said base and disposed concentrically to said opening, said flange lying close to the tongue carrying portion of the latching member.

5. The device of claim 4 characterized by having the tongue ofiset upward to provide yielding engagement with a pin.

7. The device of claim 4 characterized by having the arcuate portion of the latch eccentric to andfree from said top.

8. The device of claim 4 characterized by having the arcuate portion of the latch eccentric to and free from said top, and the top being provided with integral stops projecting into the path of the arcuate portion.

ALFRED GUSTAVE WITTSTOCK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 108,155 King Oct. 11, 1870 295,583 Pfenning Mar. 25, 1884 493,559 Pfenning Mar. 14, 1893 573,059 Oostrum Dec. 15,1896 854,073 Bruckner May 21, 1907 1,484,131 Holt Feb. 19, 1924 1,494,022 Roberson May 13, 1924 1,542,325 Samuels June 16, 1925 

